Tag: vacations

erry Lee Lewis! Live in concert! December 10, 2018, Nashville, TN.
My little (Barrelassin’) momma has had me all over his appearance schedule for a few years now and unfortunately for her I could never find a date or event that worked for us. Also unfortunately for her, I started slacking a little on the hunt, but she didn’t let that deter her. She actually found this one on her own! Not only does the date work, but it’s only a three-hour drive from home.
She’s brought it up to us several times and has waited patiently for us to make some sort of move in her favor. Today, we finally had to pull the trigger and get her tickets for Christmas and go ahead and let her know before she ended up getting them herself.

Pictured is an old photo from back in the day when she was able to meet him. How did she manage that? you wonder. She simply walked to his dressing room door, knocked on it and asked for a photo. She’s definitely where I get my “great balls of fire” from!
Remember, if you never ask, the answer is always no.

Barrelassin’ around last night sick as a dog with terrible chest congestion, I rushed my husband out of the museum and party thrown for a conference we were attending in Indianapolis, IN. so that I could get back to the hotel, get my meds, lay down on my heating pad and just get some rest. On our way out we ran into a friend we only see at these conferences, who suggested that we walk over to the stadium where U2 was playing and see if they have any tickets left. Walk over in my dress and heels, with this chest cold? That was my first thought, but immediately the rock ‘n roll voice that typically lingers in my head quickly spoke up and before I knew it, what I thought and what I said were two totally different things. “Okay- let’s go! I’ll find tickets!”I hit a couple of apps on my phone which both had no available tickets. The show had already started and we thought it might be possible some scalper would be o the side of the street with some cheap tickets he needed to rid himself of.

In all honesty, I’m the most positive human on the planet and I’m willing to try for what I want, but I have to say- I had every intention of walking over there (wheezing the whole way), seeing we couldn’t get in and then just catching an Uber to my hotel so I could go to bed. I had absolutely zero confidence of randomly getting into a U2 concert at the last minute. I’ve “randomly” and not so randomly stumbled myself right upon some great opportunities in my 43 years on Earth, and almost none of them have ever just happened without some sort of pre-planning on my part and just having a dream or a wish that I was willing to try for. But there’s only so much goodness to go around for me, right?

Upon reaching the ticket scanners we explained we were trying to get to the box office to see if there were any tickets left. I mean, it’s U2- of course there are no tickets left, but anyway. The box office was closed and we were told the only way to get tickets was to get them “at that tent.” Then they asked if we had the card we purchased out tickets with on us. “Oh, um, we don’t have tickets” we answered. “You don’t even have tickets?” they asked trying not to laugh at us. That’s when it hit me. “Who’s in that tent, anyway with those tickets you spoke about?” They explained that the tent was for people who had purchased the General Admission floor tickets, and that’s where they had to go to pick up their armbands. I asked if they could sell us tickets there and they told us no, but she also said if we got tickets from there, she’d be more than happy to scan us in.

I took that as a personal challenge, I guess. We went to the tent. They appeared to have armbands but no other customers around. That tells me that there’s available space for my body in there- as long as I can get one of those armbands around my wrist. They explained why they couldn’t sell us a ticket. We explained that the box office was closed, and the other employees told us if we could get them to sell us a ticket, they’d scan us and let us in. They suddenly wanted to ask their supervisor. Along he comes and unfortunately, there’s nothing he can do. We asked how we could get tickets online. Not possible, they told us. We kept explaining as one lady piped up and said she needed to ask Rob. I don’t know who Rob is but, we cheered for her to ask Rob! I made jokes and shook my shoulders as if I were in a seventies movie. We all laughed and had a great time waiting for Rob to appear to hear our terrible predicament. Rob can’t do anything either. But somewhere along the way he decided he wants to have a “pow-wow” with the supervisor and they walked off whispering to one another.

Suddenly, they re-appear and now 3 employees are placing armbands on each of us. I asked them what we do and where we go with these miraculous armbands we were just gifted like golden tickets from the sky. Seriously- I think I saw a golden spotlight from the sky shine down upon us and as we were banded ;). “you just walk in and onto the floor” was their answer. We thanked them profusely and started to run away back to the original scanners. “No, this way. Right through here and straight to the floor” they said. Are you freaking kidding me??!!The show was amazing! The lights were amazing. The playing and singing were both amazing. The screen was amazing. The people were amazing. The atmosphere was amazing. The air was amazing. I don’t know what else to say, or how to describe the show. It was on my bucket-list and never in my wildest dreams did I ever think this one would be checked off; wait, I lie- I think in my wildest dreams I thought I might see them someday, but never did I think I’d see U2 anywhere other than the very top of a stadium somewhere, and I sure as hell never imagine I’d ask to be let in and I’d just be let in for free. Keep in mind- we weren’t asking for free stuff. We tried to buy tickets. But as I always like to say, “If you never bother to ask- the answer will always be no.”Because every once in a while, you’ll find out there are still kind people in the world. With one swoop, one man made the decision that even though they had already told us no- to do it anyway. One small act of kindness made three people very, very happy people. None of us, Barrelassin’ Jay, nor our friend or me, had ever seen U2 but had always wanted to. It’s the little things. If you can do something for someone, do it.

Like this:

So here we are- I, along with my two besties, barrelassin’ Amy and barrelassin’ April are turning forty very soon. Amy in November, myself in January and April in February, and we’re planning a big celebration together in January! I recently made the decision to stop stressing over the number and embrace it; find a way to look forward to it for my own sanity.

I’ve been lucky enough to do many things I’ve enjoyed throughout my life, but there’s a lot I haven’t done, and I’m tricking forty. Forty is now working for me! I’m not simply making a bucket list. I’m challenging myself to a bucket list; a bucket list of things to accomplish in my first year of forty. Perhaps I’m not very realistic with the items on my list, but they’re certainly not going to happen if I just give up, settle, or simply accept that I will never do these things. I want to make a real effort before it’s too late. I would like to avoid looking back later in life with regrets that I cannot do anything about. I hope to accomplish certain things while I’m still young enough to enjoy them. And to get myself warmed up for the challenge, I’m starting now by working on myself a little, to make sure I look great the day of my party! That will be my pre- forty warm up. Then on to the list.

I am using forty to my advantage from here on out…I hope. So here’s hoping, against all hope, that I don’t lose hope.